Honda "kills" 50cc motorbikes under pressure from emissions and electric vehicles

Production of small-engine motorcycles is expected to end in November 2025, due to the need to comply with increasingly stringent emission standards.

Honda is the world's largest manufacturer of small-displacement motorcycles. The Super Cub, first introduced in 1958, has sold over 100 million units to date, making it the world's most popular motorcycle.

The Super Cub has been well received in many markets for its fuel efficiency. In Japan, it is commonly used for postal and delivery services.

However, the popularity of motorcycles with engine capacities of 50cc or less has waned in recent years, largely due to the rise of electric bicycles and electric two-wheelers.

Estimates from the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) show that while in 1980 about 1.98 million motorcycles in this category were produced, the number has dropped to about 90,000 units in 2023.

For its part, Honda considers the production of mini-scooters to meet new Japanese and global emission regulations to be difficult and inefficient. Honda's new move is also part of its long-term strategy towards electrifying vehicles. Currently, the company is pursuing the goal of 100% of its global sales being electric vehicles (EVs) and fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs) by 2040.

Honda also said that although fiscal year 2024 was affected by the global economic recession, the group still maintained effective production and business operations.

In the motorcycle business segment, although the purchasing power of the motorcycle market in Vietnam has decreased due to the great impact of the economic recession, Honda still maintained sales of 18.8 million vehicles globally, equivalent to the same period last year thanks to the solid demand of the two markets of India and Brazil.

According to Honda Vietnam, motorcycle sales in fiscal year 2024 reached more than 2.1 million units, accounting for 82% of the domestic motorcycle market share, up 1.6% over the same period last year. The number of exported motorcycles reached 257,675 units, exported to many different markets with a total export turnover of 536.1 million USD (including complete vehicles and spare parts), up 33.2% over fiscal year 2023.